Well-run executive meetings are excellent at production targets and financials. They are often less effective at discussing how the organisation actually controls catastrophic risk. These five recurring conversations keep process safety leadership active at the top table and aligned with operations. They mirror a key Hazards 35 theme: the active role of executive leadership in managing major hazards.

1) “Work as imagined” vs “work as done”

Bring one real task from the field each month and compare the procedure with the way crews achieve the outcome under time and plant realities. Capture gaps, not to assign blame, but to improve design, supervision, and information flow.

Signal to track: number of improvements to controls originating from frontline insights.

2) Barrier health and restoration velocity

Move past traffic-light lists. Discuss which critical barriers are impaired, how long restoration takes, and what trade-offs people make while waiting.

Signal to track: median time to restore a degraded barrier to full function.

3) Near-miss learning with teeth

Pick one near miss and review it as a board learning case. Focus on system conditions, not the last person to touch the equipment. Confirm that actions are closed and verified for effectiveness, not just completion.

Signal to track: percentage of learning-review actions evidenced as effective in the field.

4) Contractor and partner alignment

Major accidents often involve interfaces. Examine how contractors experience your culture, whether pre-job risk discussions are meaningful, and how information flows across organisational boundaries.

Signal to track: rate of contractor-raised concerns and the proportion resolved with feedback 

provided.

5) Psychological safety and speaking up

Where people feel safe to raise concerns, weak signals surface earlier. Look for evidence of leaders modelling curiosity, asking open questions, and responding well to bad news.

Signal to track: observational scores of leadership safety conversations, not just site-visit counts.

A simple monthly agenda

1. 10 minutes: frontline “work as done” showcase

2. 15 minutes: barrier status and restoration velocity

3. 15 minutes: near-miss learning review update

4. 10 minutes: contractor interface spotlight

5. 10 minutes: leadership behaviour evidence and commitments

Heading to Hazards 35?
Peter Neal will be on the programme in Birmingham (4–6 Nov). Bring one example of “work as imagined vs work as done” and we’ll swap notes on how boards can surface weak signals earlier.

How Premier Safety Associates Can Help PSA

We design and facilitate executive-level sessions and tailored education that embed these conversations into your governance rhythm, aligned to your regulatory context and strategy. Book Your Complimentary Consultation - or set up a meeting with Peter at Hazards 35.